I studied abroad in Florence the summer before my junior year of college. So arriving back in Florence felt like being home again! I have so much love for that city and had the best time sharing all the things I love about it with Cameron. He took me on this trip for my graduation present and I felt like the luckiest girl in the world the entire time. 

I’ve always known Cameron was incredibly romantic, but he KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK with his proposal. I mean it honestly could not have been any more perfect. A little bit of back-story… Cameron and I have been dating on and off since my sophomore year of high school. When I studied abroad in Florence with two of my best friends after my sophomore year of college, I buried a note for Cameron in a park down the street from where we lived.

As if Cam’s proposal wasn’t incredible enough… We spent our first day as an engaged couple in a treehouse in the Tuscan hills. Our whole trip was amazing, but our time at the treehouse was nothing short of MAGICAL. It was the perfect way to escape from the busy city and celebrate.

Venice is a place that I have dreamed of visiting since I was little! My Nanny and I even had a “Venice Fund” piggybank in her kitchen for as long as I can remember. After missing our bus to Venice while studying abroad (LOL Ally and Holland), I was determined to make it there on this trip.

To be honest, we didn’t do a ton of research before this trip. We knew where we wanted to go and the basics of each city but that was about it. I’m a BIG planner and Cameron is more of a go with the flow kind of guy. Instead of having every minute planned, this laidback mindset really worked in our favor this trip. It enabled us to stumble upon hidden gems that we might have missed. Our last day trip was to Lucca and ended up being one of our favorite destinations on the trip. 

Siena was a city that we knew very little about, but I’m so glad we kept it on our list of places to visit! We took a morning train there and spent the day wandering down the windy cobblestone streets, stumbling upon one beautiful piazza after the other. The town has such a quaint feel to it. It makes you want to slow down and take it all in.

Melissa Schleicher, one of Nashville’s most renowned celebrity hair and makeup artists, has built a multimillion-dollar beauty empire over the past 20 years. 

In addition to Schleicher’s busy freelance schedule with clients such as Carrie Underwood, she owns several successful businesses. Secret revealed: Schleicher dropped out of high school when she was just 16 years old.

The Murder of Paul Guihard

Paul Guihard, a reporter for the Agence French Press, is the only journalist known to have been killed during the civil rights era. On Sept. 30, 1962, Guihard was shot on the campus of the University of Mississippi while covering the integration of the university. He was shot in the back from about one foot away, and his killer was never identified.